The meaning of PAINFUL is feeling or giving pain. How to use painful in a sentence.

PAINFUL definition: 1. causing emotional or physical pain: 2. If something is painful to watch or listen to, it is so…. Learn more.

If something such as an illness, injury, or operation is painful, it causes you a lot of physical pain. ...a painful back injury. Sunburn is painful and potentially dangerous.

Define painful. painful synonyms, painful pronunciation, painful translation, English dictionary definition of painful. adj. 1. Full of or giving pain: a painful shoulder; painful walking.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025 pain•ful (pān′ fəl), adj. affected with, causing, or characterized by pain: a painful wound; a painful night; a painful …

Painful refers to causing physical discomfort, distress or suffering, often due to an injury or illness. It can also refer to causing emotional or mental distress, upset, or unhappiness, often tied to a distressing …

Dec 7, 2025 · painful (comparative painfuller or more painful, superlative painfullest or most painful) Causing pain or distress, either physical or mental. [from 14th c.] synonyms, antonyms quotations

The “most painful thing” can include both acute physical suffering and profound psychological trauma. Measuring the Unmeasurable Since pain is a personal perception, medical science relies on self …

Apr 28, 2021 · If you are experiencing severe pain, chest pain, difficulty breathing, bleeding symptoms, or a change in consciousness, seek immediate medical care (call 911). If your pain is persistent, or …

PAINFUL definition: affected with, causing, or characterized by pain. See examples of painful used in a sentence.